Disclaimer: I do own any of this! Star Wars belongs to George Lucas, Lucasfilm, and all other rightful and respected owners. Enjoy!
Ch. 14
"If you will not tell me how to turn Luke, then perhaps you will tell the Emperor."
(Han's POV)
My heart ground to a stop at Vader's words. The Emperor? Was the Emperor on board? If so, then Force help us all.
"Officers!" Vader slid open the door, revealing the Stormtroopers waiting on the other side. The troopers quickly filed into our room, grabbing Leia and me.
"What are your orders sir?" the one holding Leia asked.
"Take them to the Emperor," Vader ordered. A rough glove grabbed my shoulder, pushing me past Vader.
"Let's go, you two," one of the troopers teased as we were shoved into the hallway and began to walk. Slowly inching toward Leia, I looped my fingers around hers. After jerking at my movement, she relaxed a little when she realized it was me. But worry still showed in her eyes.
"We'll be alright," I promised, and I sincerely hoped I was right.
SSSSSSSSS
Palpatine could feel the princess coming from a mile away.
*How interesting?* Palpatine thought to himself. *That girl seems to be strong in the Force. Not as strong as Skywalker, but I could use her Force potential against the boy.*
At any rate, it seemed as though Vader's attempts at interrogating the princess and the smuggler had gone south, and he was resorting to the Emperor. All the same, Palpatine was kind of excited. It had been a while since he had tortured anyone new; anyone important. Even Sith Lords got bored once in a while. Plus, it elated him that Vader had failed. He didn't like the fact that Skywalker was Vader's son; that already presented a bond that sooner or later, Palpatine would have to break. He couldn't have his protégé with Vader still alive.
But all of that could be dealt with later, Palpatine decided. He still had to use Luke's ignorance of his parentage to his advantage. And now, it appeared that Palpatine had something else he could use to toy with Luke and the boy's emotions.
"Have the boy sent here immediately," Palpatine hissed from his large room at the top of the Executor. Receiving a 'yes sir', Palpatine cut the transmission. Just in time too, for a white mass suddenly burst through Palpatine's doors, carrying Organa and Solo.
"Well, if it isn't the pitiful being Luke calls his friends," Palpatine spat. As Vader entered the room as well, Palpatine signaled for the Stormtroopers to leave. Once they had all filed out, and it was just the four of them, Palpatine got comfortable. This was going to be most enjoyable.
SSSSSSSSSSSS
(Palpatine's POV)
"Glad you have joined us, Darth Vader," I acknowledged my apprentice. "Your son will be joining us shortly."
As Vader stiffened, I probed his mind, reveling at the possessiveness that whirled through Vader.
"He's not Luke's father!" Solo shouted. Before anyone could react, I had already shot a round of Force lightning from my fingertips directly at the smuggler.
"I did not permit you to speak!" I cackled as the lightning coursed through Solo's body, throwing off his feet and into the far wall.
"Han!" the princess yelled, racing over to him. Smiling, I watched as Organa painstakingly helped Solo get off the ground. Their pathetic attempts at defying me were rather entertaining, but soon Luke would arrive and I had to find out as much about the boy as possible.
"Alright Organa, it appears that you will be answering my first question," I hissed, enjoying the fear that blossomed in the princess. "What are Skywalker's weaknesses?"
"He doesn't have any!" Leia shouted, and went back to comforting that wretched smuggler.
"I will ask again, princess," I hissed. "And you would be wise to answer me. What, are, Skywalker's, weaknesses?"
But again, the princess only barked at me again, claiming she would not betray the boy.
"Insolent weakling," I hissed, sending a bolt of lightning that slammed the princess into the ground.
"NO!" a pained voice shouted from across the room. I didn't need to look to know it belonged to Skywalker. As I watched Skywalker race over to help the princess, I smiled.
"Stop right there, Skywalker!" I roared, pleased to see Skywalker skid to a stop merely inches from the distressed princess. The boy's eyes were wide in fear, as if he already knew what I had in mind.
"Come to me, boy," I ordered, enjoying the waves of fear rolling off Skywalker. But to my surprise, he shook his head. In response, I began to shoot another round of lightning into both Solo and Organa, when I heard Luke's pathetic plea.
"No! Please stop! Please!" Luke shouted.
"Come to me!" I cackled, as I intensified the lightning. I watched as Skywalker's gaze shifted from me to Vader to his struggling friends. For a moment, I thought he wouldn't budge. It seemed as though his resolve was absolute.
But then the boy swallowed his pride and marched up to me, attempting to avoid my hungry gaze. When he had finally reached my throne, I took control of his body, forcing him to look at me.
"There, now that wasn't so bad, was it?" I teased. No response came from Skywalker; the boy was mortified. But I wasn't finished yet.
"Kneel before me," I commanded. At first, Skywalker looked at me questioningly, the puzzlement being replaced by fear when I smiled and pointed at the ground.
"I-I…" the boy stuttered.
More lightning escaped from my fingers, startling the boy, causing him to jump to the side of my throne. In less than a second, the boy was kneeling before me, his eyes pleading for me to stop. Again, I stopped my lightning, pleased with the moans and gasps from the princess and the smuggler. It turned out they were useful for something after all.
"Thank you," Skywalker mumbled. Before he could register my movements, I had grabbed a fistful of his hair and had yanked him to eye level with me.
"Thank you what?" I growled. When the boy did not respond, I positioned my hand for another round of lightning.
"Master!" Skywalker blurted, eyeing my hand nervously. Chuckling, I tightened my grip on the boy's hair, enjoying his pain and frustration.
"That is how you will address me from now on, boy," I spoke. "Anything else will result in their punishment," I thrust Luke's head around so he could take a long look at his friends who were passed out on the floor. "You will listen to me, you will obey me, and you will join me."
"Yes…m-master," the boy said softly. Releasing my grip on his hair, I smiled as he sank to the ground, still kneeling. But something still bothered me. Luke's words held no sincerity; he had still not given himself to the Dark Side. Even when there was no hope left for the boy, he still clung to the Light Side, refusing to divulge in his true power.
However, that was irrelevant. With the boy's lack of knowledge of the Force continuing to frustrate him, and his friends at my disposal, it was only a matter of time before Skywalker was mine.
Well, that was fun! I'm sorry, but I love reading/writing chapters where either the Emperor or Vader is trying to turn Luke! Read and Review, I hope you guys enjoyed it!